Golf tee magazine and dispensing means



y 23, 195,7 J. P. OBRIEN 2,793,862

GOLF TEE MAGAZINE AND DISPENSING MEANS Filed Sept. 20, 1954 INVENTOR. Jan/v P. OB/wen GJMAMKM United States Patent 2,793,862 GOLF TEE MAGAZINE AND DISPENSING MEANS John P. OBrien, Painesville, Ohio Application September 20, 1954, Serial No. 456,943 3 Claims. (Cl. 273-162) This invention relates to golfing equipment, and has particular reference to a novel golf tee magazine adapted to be supported within the handle of a golf club for carrygether, resulting in inconvenience and delay.

Various devices have been proposed heretofore to eliminate the above-noted problems, as for example, special tee containers adapted to be carried in the wearing apparel, specially designed tees adapted to be externally attached to the shafts of golf clubs, and the like. Most of these devices, however, have proved to be too complicated for easy use, too cumbersome to carry about, or otherwise impractical or inefficient from the average golfers viewpoint. Accordingly, such devices have not met with widespread acceptance.

The present invention contemplates a golf tee magazine and dispensing means which is adapted to coact with and be carried in the handle portion of a hollow shafted golf club. Such an arrangement provides a place to carry tees apart from the golfers wearing apparel and yet does not necessitate carrying cumbersome extra equipment for this purpose. The operation of the invention is extremely simple and convenient, and actually produces a tee in less time than it normally takes to find one in a search through the pockets. Furthermore, the structure required by the invention does not materially add to the weight, or change the balance, of the club.

The invention may be of particular advantage to women golfers since female attire is frequently made without any pockets at all. In such case, the arrangement disclosed herein not only provides a simple and convenient tee carrying and dispensing device but fills a definite need not previously provided for by any satisfactory means.

With the foregoing and other considerations in view, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a practical and convenient golf club supported tee magazine and dispensing device.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a golf club supported tee magazine and dispensing device which does not materially add to the weight, or change the balance, of the club.

A further important object'o-f the invention is to provide a golf club supported tee magazine and dispensing device wherein both the loading and dispensing operations are extremely simple and rapid.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a golf club supported tee magazine and dispensing device which is strong and durable, and yet is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a golf club supported tee magazine and dispensing device wherein the magazine structure is slidable longitudinally in the handle portion of the club, and when fully inserted therein forms a continuation of the handle grip.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromv the following detailed descriptionread in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numbers designate corresponding parts in all the views.

In the drawings: 7

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a golf club, and more particularly of a wood, to which the invention might be applied;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the handle portion of a golf club embodying the invention, showing the tee magazine in fully inserted or closed position;

Figure 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 2, showing the tee magazine in partially withdrawn or open position;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section through the club handle and magazine, taken along line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical section through the club handle and magazine, taken along line 55 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an enlarged horizontal section through the tee magazine; and

Figure 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary horizontal section through a slightly modified form of the magazine.

Having reference now to the drawings which illustrate a typical embodiment of the invention for the purpose of disclosure, 10 generally indicates a golf club, Figure 1, having a head 11, shaft 12 and handle portion 14. The club illustrated is a wood, such as a driver, spoon or mashie, since in any given set of clubs it would not be necessary to incorporate the subject device in more than one club and a wood is the club with which tees are most commonly used.

Having reference particularly to Figures 2-6, the club shaft 12 is substantially conventional, and is of hollow or tubular construction as shown. The handle portion 14 at the upper end of the shaft includes a handle grip 15 formed in the usual manner by wrapping leather or the like about the exterior of the shaft. In accordance with the invention the upper extremity of the shaft is open to permit the tee magazine 17 to be inserted into the hollow handle portion thereof.

The tee magazine 17 is also of tubular construction, formed of lightweight metal, plastic, or the like, and its outer diameter is slightly less than the inner diameter of the shaft handle portion so that it is slidable within the shaft upon the application of a positive force and yet will be frictionally held in any position in which it is left. A plug 18 of some suitable material such as rubber is inserted in the lower end of the magazine to provide a bottom therefor, Figure 6, while a plug or cap 20 of similar material is mounted on the upper end of the magazine and forms its top. The latter also forms a continuation of the handle grip 15 when the magazine is fully positioned within the shaft, and provides a finished end for the club, as is best shown in Figure 2.

An elongated opening 21 of slightly greater length than that of a single tee is formed in one side of the magazine 17 adjacent the upper end thereof, and this opening provides the means through which the tees may be loaded into and dispensed from the magazine. The capacity of the magazine'will of course depend upon the overall length of the magazine tube and position of the bottom plug 18 therein. However, a magazine capacity of from.

four to six tees has been found to be adequate for most golfers.

The tee magazine 17 is normally maintained in fully inserted position in the handle portion 14 of the club with its cap 20 abutting the upper edge of the handle grip 15 and forming a continuation thereof. In such position, the magazine is closedsince the opening 21 therein is blocked off by the shaft of the club. When the magazine is empty, it is loaded bypulling the cap 20 outwardly until the opening is exposed and inserting the tees therethrough into the magazine tube. The cap is then pushed inwardly to close the magazine until a tee is needed during play. 'When a tee is needed, it is dispensed from the magazine by holding the club in a horizontal position and partially withdrawing the magazine from the shaft to expose the opening 21. Thereafter, the magazine is rotated relative to the shaft, or the-entire assembly is rotated, until the opening facesdownwardly and permits a tee to drop out into the golfers hand. If the tee is recovered after use, it may of course be returned to the magazine which is againclosed by pushing inwardly on the cap 20, or by simply dropping the club back into the bag. In the latter case, the impact of the cap against the bottom of the bag as the club drops is sufficient to move the magazine into its fully inserted or closed position in the clubshaft.

In Figure 7, the tee magazine 17 is shown with an elongated compression spring 22 which may be provided if desired to spring load the tees and urge them into dispensing position opposite the magazine opening 21. The bottom of the spring bears against the plug 18 while the top is provided with an arcuate plate 24 against which the tees bear. The assembly may also, if desired, be provided with a slot and pin connection (not shown) to prevent the magazine from being completely withdrawn from the shaft of the club. Such connection would include a longitudinal slot suitably positioned in the side wall of the magazine, and a pin projecting into the slot from the club shaft to limit the axial travel of the magazine relative thereto.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the invention disclosed herein provides a novel and very practical golfclub supported tee magazine and dispensing device. The invention may be embodied in other specific Cal forms without departing from the spirit or essential charaoteristics thereof. The embodiments disclosed are there fore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a golf club having a hollow shaft, a tubular sleeve positioned in the handle portion of said shaft and slidable longitudinally with respect thereto, plug means adjacent each end of said sleeve to form therewith a magazine adapted to receive a plurality of golf tees, said sleeve having an elongated opening of slightly greater length than the length of a single tee to permit said tees to be individually dispensed therefrom, said openingbeing blocked off by said shaft when said sleeve is fully positioned therein and exposed when the sleeve is partially with drawn therefrom.

2. In combination with a golf club having a hollow shaft provided with a handle grip adjacent the upper end thereof, a tubular sleeve positioned within the handle portion of said shaft and slidable longitudinally with respect thereto, plug means adjacent the upper and lower ends of said sleeve to form therewith a substantially closed magazine adapted to receive a plurality of golf tees, said sleeve having an elongated opening in the wall thereof of slightly greater length than that of a single tee whereby but one tee can be inserted into or dispensed from the sleeve at a time, said opening being blocked off by said shaft when said sleeve is fully positioned therein and exposed when the sleeve is partially withdrawn therefrom, said plug means adjacent the upper end of said sleeve forming a continuance of said handle grip.

' 3. A device as defined in claim 2 including spring means in said magazine to spring load the golf tees positioned therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS 1,671,285 Hanna May 29, 1928 1,890,388 Kramlik Dec. 6, 1932 2,353,629 Apfelbaum July 18, 1944 2,367,019 Haag Jan. 9, 1945 

